I want her.
Let’s face it. I’ve always wanted her.
“I think I want something real with Danika. Without the strings. Without the stakes. Without the fear.”
“And do you think that’s attainable?”
“Melissa,” I sigh. “I have absolutely no idea.”
Another Friday, another party. Another opportunity to “fake date” while trying to understand my true feelings for Danika. It’s all becoming too much. I don’t know how much longer I can fake it. Or if I even want to.
Danika takes my hands and puts them on her hips, swaying me with the music blasting through the TV speakers. Her ex hovers in the corner.
“You’re only doing this because he’s watching.”
“So? Isn’t that the whole point of this? Come on, grab me tighter.”
The thought of touching her right now makes me sick. I know I agreed to a fake situation but the more I’m close to her like this, the more real it feels. It was stupid of me to agree to this. I should’ve known I wouldn’t be able to touch her and keep my cool about it.
“I’m going to get another drink. You want one?”
Danika nods, spinning away to dance with Gemma who has her hair in pigtails with pink streaks in each for some reason. I take the momentary break to catch my breath. I need to stop being such a pussy about this whole thing. Yes, I want her, but I should be able to separate my real feelings from this dumb game we’re playing. I’m a grown man. I know what’s real and what’s fake.Then why does this feel real to me?
Shaking my head, I make my way past the coeds toward the kitchen where there’s a bucket of ice and some beer bottles. I never thought I’d find myself one frat house party let alone two but here I am. The Kappa guys don’t seem too bad, actually. I guess my sister’s boyfriend, Alex, left a good mark on them when he graduated. Grabbing two beers, I head back toward the makeshift dance floor in the living room.
Danika is shaking her little ass out on the floor without a care in the world of who’s watching. The thought brings a smile to my face. Hell, I know her ex is absolutely watching but he’s not allowed to do anything about it.
Nope, that ass is all mine. And right now, I’m going to take advantage of every chance I have to touch her. Placing the unopened beers down on the nearest table, I stalk toward Danika like a lion stalking prey. She has no idea what’s coming to her and I’m going to take every advantage I can get.
With a hand on her neck, I whip Danika around so she’s facing me, her wild red hair whipping me in the arm at the sudden movement.
“Hey, big guy, did you–”
She doesn’t get a chance to finish the sentence because my mouth collides with hers in such a way that she won’t be thinking about anything else for a month. Immediately, she collapses into me, taking the kiss more than willingly. Her arms go around my neck and I pull her in by the waist with my free hand.
My tongue greedily coaxes her mouth open and she happily lets me in. A soft moan leaves her lips and I feel my entire body physically tighten. Sweetly, I kiss her lips, lingering my forehead on hers before I pull back to look into her eyes.
“Well that was…” Danika starts. “Was Nico looking?”
I’m jolted back to the present like a whip to the back. “Yeah, he was.” I say, nodding. Walking back to the table, I grab our beers, pop open the cap and down half before I’ve even given Danika hers.
“I’m gonna get some air outside.”
“There’s a fire pit out there. Let me pee and then I’ll join you.”
Nodding, I head toward the backyard, seeing the firepit from the doorway. I settle into an adirondack chair and sip my beer, waiting.
“You know, you don’t have to keep putting on a show for me. I get it.” Nico slides into the seat next to mine. I don’t give him the attention he’s craving, just sipping my drink and waiting for Danika to get out here.
“Did you hear me? I’m done. You win.”
“It’s not a fucking competition, asshole. And even if it was, you were never in the running anyway so thisconcessionis useless.”
In my periphery, I see him take a sip of his beer and then nod. He gets up and has the gall to pat my knee. It takes every calming technique in my arsenal to not rip his fucking face off.
“All the best to you both. Although I bet you already know she’s frigid as fuck.”
My knuckles are white from how tightly I’m gripping the seat arms. If this prick so much as breathes in my direction one more time, I’m going to have to call Melissa immediately after I rip his throat from his body.